


Beneath their Masks

by Arvanion



Series: Commissioned Work [6]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Coming Out, Family Bonding, Gen, Genderfluid Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 15:18:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15512685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arvanion/pseuds/Arvanion
Summary: A late-night stroll leads to an honest conversation.(Commissioned by Kavck.)





	Beneath their Masks

**Author's Note:**

> A commission for Kavck, who requested Lucina and Owain having a nice, relatively angst-free conversation about their identities. Familial acceptance is a beautiful thing.

Lucina couldn’t sleep.

Perhaps it was waning adrenaline from that morning’s skirmish, or residual wariness left over from the future the children had fled, or perhaps even slight nausea from Lissa’s most recent kitchen disaster. Whatever the reason was, it precluded any form of relaxation.

So she walked through the camp instead, grateful for the lateness of the hour. With most of the Shepherds asleep in their tents, she drew none of the attention she usually did. Everyone looked to her as the Exalt’s daughter, the princess who refused to give up hope.

Lucina missed the anonymity of a mask. Things had been simpler as Marth—he’d been allowed his mysteries, his obvious alias passing with little comment. He had only carried the name of a king: not the weight of a kingdom.

_I wish I could be him again. Perhaps, when all of this is over..._

Almost without realizing it, Lucina had neared the edge of the camp. She sighed and turned back. It wouldn’t do to disturb the sentries.

As Lucina passed a campfire, the flames illuminated a familiar face, bent over a sheet of parchment. “Owain?”

Lucina’s cousin jumped, narrowly avoiding dropping his quill. “Lucina! You startled me.”

“I’m a bit surprised, myself. You’re not standing watch for another hour, right?”

“True, but my hand was restless. I thought perhaps I could calm it by giving vent to some of its hidden impulses.”

Lucina smiled. “Like what, for example?”

To her surprise, Owain blushed. “Uh, a trifle. A thoroughly unimportant matter. A mere flight of fancy.”

Lucina’s eyes narrowed in apparent suspicion, but she was actually squinting to get a better look at the parchment in Owain’s lap.

“To my dearest one: only the warmth of your hand could bring peace to mine—“

Owain yelped and hugged the parchment against his chest. “Hey!”

“Is that... a love letter?”

Reluctantly, Owain nodded. “Yeah. Though I don’t think I’ll actually work up the courage to send it.”

“Why not?” Lucina asked, sitting down alongside him.

“There are so many things that could go wrong. Being turned down would be bad enough, but what if he thinks worse of me for it? Is this just another case of me being different? I want to tell him how I feel, but I’m almost afraid to at the same time.”

 _“Him.” So that’s what this is about._  Lucina felt a surge of sympathy.

“I think I understand how you feel.”

Owain sighed. “I know I might seem like the most confident fellow in Ylisse, but that doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny. Is that what you mean?”

“That’s a part of it. But there have also been times when I wondered if I might be too... well, unusual.” Lucina stared into the fire. “Like when I first came here as Marth. It didn’t feel like a disguise—I  _was_  him, or at least a man with his name. And, well...” She blushed. “I, uh, kind of liked the attention I got from girls.”

After a moment, Owain laughed. “Is this your way of telling me there’s nothing strange about me?”

“I... suppose so?”

Her cousin gave another long-suffering sigh. “Gods, Lucina, you passed up a perfect opportunity.”

“For what?”

“You know, something like ‘I wouldn’t go that far’ or ‘you’re already pretty strange.’ Something mildly insulting, but in a clever way.”

“I hadn’t even realized. Why would I insult you, though?”

Owain shook his head, grinning. “I guess that’s just part of who you are, huh?” He waved the slightly wrinkled parchment. “Like this is a part of me, and Marth is a part of you.”

Lucina smiled. “Something like that.”

As she stood to leave, Owain called after her. “Hey, Lucina? Thanks. I’m glad the two of us had the chance to chat like this.”

“Me, too. Goodnight, Owain.”

As she made her way back to her tent, Lucina smiled to herself.

_Perhaps it was for the best that I couldn’t sleep. A conversation like that one is worth far more._


End file.
